Healing South Africa

Published: September 10, 1995

South Africa's apartheid regime has been dismantled, but not its legacy of suffering, particularly among survivors of the violent crimes committed in its name. Paying the debt of accountability and reparations owed to these South Africans is essential to building a peaceful nonracial democracy.

Other countries emerging from decades of authoritarian rule, in Latin America and Eastern Europe, have struggled to achieve a balance between retribution and reconciliation as they come to terms with their history. It can be anguishing work. South Africa has made a good start.

Generations of South African political prisoners were tortured and murdered in police custody. Activists were hunted down on the streets of South Africa and neighboring countries by clandestine police and military units. Some of the victims of this deadly repression were well known, like the Black Consciousness Movement leader Steven Biko. Others were known only to their grieving friends and relatives.

Earlier this summer, Parliament created a Truth and Reconciliation Commission, whose operating details and budget are still being worked out. The emphasis, properly, will be on reconciliation. But reconciliation cannot proceed without first establishing the long-suppressed truth about a lengthy list of notorious incidents, like the Sharpeville and Soweto massacres and the Biko murder, and an even longer list of lesser-known abuses.

Suzanne Daley of The Times recently described some of these lesser-known cases. Sibongile Hadebe, for example, is still trying to find out who gunned down her husband on the street three years ago as he returned from a meeting of the African National Congress. Deborah Quin has assembled evidence suggesting that South African Army troops crossed the border of Lesotho to kill her sister and brother-in-law a decade ago. Though South Africa denied involvement at the time, Ms. Quin believes those soldiers were actually awarded medals for their murderous cross-border raid.

To its considerable credit, the last apartheid government, under President F. W. de Klerk, began the process of investigating state involvement in secret political violence. The current national unity Government, under President Nelson Mandela, has the moral authority to probe more broadly, looking into crimes committed by opposition movements as well. It must make full use of that authority.

The new commission will not have the power to prosecute, but it will be able to subpoena witnesses and its findings could be used in later court actions. It is empowered to grant amnesties, but only to those who voluntarily acknowledge their crimes. It is also authorized to recommend the payment of cash reparations to victims or their survivors. Additionally, it is expected to recommend administrative and legislative steps to prevent future human rights abuses.

To make best use of the commission, the Government must give it a generous budget and Mr. Mandela should lend it the full support of his office. Even so, it will be able to investigate and resolve only a limited number of cases during its 18-month term. But if it does its job well, the dividends will be great.